At Olive Crest, we believe every child, young adult, and family is worthy of love, safety, and the opportunity to live a fulfilling life free from pain, fear, and isolation. Rest assured, every child who comes into our care will be nurtured in a safe and loving home.
Olive Crest provides high quality and effective care that will lead children, youth and families to healing, wholeness, strong
and positive relationships.
Together, we can ensure kids experience the childhood they deserve.
Child Abuse Prevention
Isolation. Past abuse. Poor coping skills. A lost job. Substance abuse struggles. A broken marriage. The list goes on for stressors that leave innocent children hanging in the balance and vulnerable to abuse. So many families and parents without the resources to change turn to old patterns and learned behaviors passed down through generations, resulting in continued abuse and a seemingly never-ending cycle. But, together we can stop it.
Homes for Children, Teens, & Young Adults
Olive Crest has collaborated between area churches, volunteers and child care professionals designed to support children and parents in crisis. This collaboration gives volunteers an opportunity to have a powerful impact in the lives of others while practicing biblical hospitality and extending the love of Christ to people in need — all from their own home!
Olive Crest Strives to Meet These Objectives
Early Intervention: Olive Crest provides a safe alternative to child welfare custody. Families are given time to address risk factors in their lives that, if left unattended, could result in substantiated abuse or neglect of children.
Child Abuse Prevention: Olive Crest provides an overwhelmed and resource-limited parent with a safe, temporary place for their child without threat of losing custody, which can avert potential abuse/neglect episodes.
Family Support and Stabilization: Many parents struggle because of limited informal social supports and unavailable extended family. Many Olive Crest families become the extended family that a parent never had.
— HOW IT WORKS
Parents experiencing a temporary crisis can arrange for their children (newborn through 18 years old) to stay with Olive Crest volunteers while they address the issues that led to the instability in their lives. Volunteers are supervised by their area church, which in turn is supported by professional child care specialists. Children are matched with families in their own community whenever possible, and placements average from one day to three months. During that time, caseworkers are available to provide volunteers with support and answer any questions they might have.
Volunteers open their homes to children whose parents are experiencing a short-term emergency, such as hospitalization, or a longer-term crisis, such as drug abuse. Designed to extend and strengthen the community safety net for families in crisis, this is a positive alternative to the state child welfare system, allowing parents to work out their problems without having to worry about losing custody of their children.
The program’s goal is to reunite children with their biological parent(s) in a home that is more stable and healthy.
Biological parents maintain custody during the placement and are encouraged to be actively involved in their children’s lives, as well as develop a relationship with the volunteer family. Olive Crest caseworkers keep in close contact with the parents in planning for a healthy reunification of the family.
When crisis strikes, many of us rely on relatives and our church family for support. But for some parents, there isn’t a safety net. Often problems such as illness, drug addiction, domestic abuse, or unemployment can be debilitating, making it impossible for parents to care for their children.
Positive family reunification is our number one priority, and through this program over 95% of children have been returned to their biological parents and have been deflected from state custody.
- Biological parents maintain full custody
- Volunteer families are recruited, trained, and supported
- Six-week average length of stay (ranging from two days to a year)
- Close working relationships between Olive Crest, the local church, and the referring organization
- Commitment to reunite the family as soon as possible
- Fully funded by private donations
We expand the community safety net by providing parents in need on their own, or at the recommendation of a caseworker, with a loving sanctuary where they can safely place their children in times of crisis. Host families prompted solely by compassion are screened, trained, and serve without compensation. Designed to positively impact and support families in crisis, this is a non-coercive alternative to the state child welfare system, allowing parents to work out their problems without having to worry about losing custody of their child. It is a collaborative effort bringing together a network of churches, ministries, and social service providers for a common goal—to reunite children with their biological parent(s) in a home that is more stable and healthy. Relying on the strengths and drawing upon the expertise of each of these organizations, host families are supported, educated, and regularly visited to ensure the experience is successful for everyone involved.
California
To become a host family or to get connected with a church, call 1.800.550.CHILD x1234.
Las Vegas
For more information on getting involved shoot us a line here. If your child needs a safe place to stay call our hotline at 702.960.1436.
Pacific Northwest
For more information on the program or to sign up as a host family, please fill out an interest form.
Interest Form ▸
Request a Church or Agency Presentation ▸
Contact▸
Everyone Can do Something. What’s Your Something?
Open your home to a child needing love and safety.
Volunteer your time to assist with children and families in crisis.
Donate once, monthly, or through corporate sponsorship.
Provide basic necessities like school supplies and diapers.
Build awareness in your community.
Attend an Olive Crest event and invite your friends to generate more support.
